I grew up in Jamaica Plain, an urban community located on the outskirts of Boston, Massachusetts. In the 1940's it was a wholesome, specific little community. It was my home and I loved it there; back then I thought I would never leave. My best friend Rose and I used to collectively dream about raising a family of our own someday. We had it all planned out to live next door to one another.
Our dream remained alive through grade school, high school, and even beyond. Rose was my maid of honor when I got married in 1953 to the love of my life, Dick. Even then she joked that she was just one perfect guy short of being married, thus bringing us closer to our dream. Meanwhile, Dick aspired to be an officer in the Marines（海军）and I fully supported his ambitions. I realized that he might be stationed far away from Jamaica Plain, but I told him I would relocate and adjust. The idea of experiencing new places together seemed somewhat romantic to me.
So, in 1955, Dick was stationed in Alaska and we relocated. Rose was sad to see me leave, but wished me the best of luck. Rose and I remained in touch for a few years by regular phone call but after a while we lost track of one another. Back in the 1950's it was a lot more difficult to stay in touch with someone over a long distance, especially if you were relocating every few years. There were no email addresses or transferable phone number and directory lookup services were available at best.
I thought of her several times over the years. Once in the mid 1960's ,when I was visiting the Greater Boston area, I tried to determine her whereabouts but my search turned up empty-handed. Jamaica Plain had changed drastically in the 10 years I was gone. A pretty obvious shift in income demographics was affecting my old neighborhood. My family had moved out of the area, as did many of the people I used to know. Rose was nowhere to be found.
52 years passed and we never spoke. I've since raised a family of five, all of whom now have families of their own, and Dick passed away a few years ago. Basically, a lifetime has passed. Now here I am at the doorstep to my 80th birthday and I receive a random phone call on an idle Wednesday afternoon. "Hello?" I said. "Hi Natalie, it's Rose," the voice on the other end replied. "It's been so long. I don't know if you remember me, but we used to be best friends in Jamaica Plain when we were kid" she said.
We haven't seen each other yet, but we have spent countless hours on the phone catching up on 52 years of our lives. The interesting thing is that even after 52 years of separation our personalities and interests are still extremely similar. We both share a passion for several hobbies that we each picked up independently several years after we lost touch with one another. It almost feels like we are picking up right where we left off, which is really strange considering the circumstances.
Her husband passed away a few years ago as well, but she mailed me several photographs of her family that were taken over the years. It's so crazy, just looking at the photos and listening to her describe her family reminds me of my own; a reasonably large, healthy family. Part of me feels like we led fairly similar lives.
I don't think the numerous similarities between our two lives are a coincidence either. I think it shows that we didn't just call each other best friend we truly were best friend and even now we can be best friends again. Real friends have two things in common: a compatible personality and a strong-willed character. The compatible personality is what initiates the connection between two people and a strong-willed character at both ends is what maintains the connection. If those two ingredients are present in a friendship, the friendship is for real, and can thus sustain the tests of time and prolonged absence without faltering.What was the dream of the writer and Rose when young except that_____?
| A．They could have a family of their own |
| B．They could marry a promising husband |
| C．They planned to become neighbors |
| D．They could go to the same school |
Why did they become apart when going older?
| A．Because the writer got married ,so Rose was sad |
| B．They held a different opinion on their life |
| C．The writer’s husband had to move from one place to another |
| D．Their community had to be rebuilt |
Which was not the reason for their loss in touch?
| A．At that time ,there were no advanced communication methods |
| B．The job of the writer’s husband was changeable |
| C．There were no such services for them to keep the same number when moving |
| D．They hadn’t written to each for a long time |
The writer failed to find Rose in the mid of 1960’s, because ____?
| A．Rose left her homeland. |
| B．Rose wouldn’t like to see her |
| C．the surroundings there had changed a lot. |
| D．they lost in touch for a long time |
What can we infer from the text?
| A．Rose had been making every effort to look for the writer |
| B．Compared with the writer, Rose lived an unhappy life. |
| C．Both of the husbands died before their wives. |
| D．It is a coincidence that there were a lot of similarities between them |
We can learn from the passage that ____________.
| A．a friend in need is a friend indeed |
| B．life without a friend is a life without sun |
| C．friendship is a love without wings |
| D．the world is but a little place after all. |
A private group of scientists has announced plans to make an exact copy of a human being. An American member of the team says he and the others will soon begin a serious effort to clone humans. Panos Zavos says the team hopes to manufacture the world’s first cloned baby within the next two years.
In recent years, scientists have produced exact genetic copies of sheep and a few other animals. They created these clones from a single cell of an adult animal.
Three years ago, another American doctor, Richard Seed, announced plans to clone a human being. However, there is no evidence that he has been successful.
Doctor Zavos says the new international group plans to offer human cloning only to women who are currently not able to become pregnant or produce children. He says the aim is to assist people who want to have their own biological child.
The technology would be similar to that used to clone animals. It would involve cleaning genetic material from a woman’s egg. Doctors then would place genetic material from the woman’s husband into the egg before putting it into the woman’s uterus(子宫).
Doctor Zavos says his group plans to do the work in a country near the Mediterranean Sea. He did not name the country. He says an Italian reproductive expert, Sevorino Antinori, is leading the team. Doctor Antinori has led the efforts to help many older women become pregnant. He is known for establishing pregnancies in women as old as sixty.
Many medical experts and other groups are opposed to the idea of cloning humans. Several countries ban or restrict work on human cloning. Several doctors criticize the announcement by Doctor Zavos. They say doctors do not know if cloning humans is possible or safe. They say it would be irresponsible to attempt to clone a human being. That is because the chances of success are too small and the risks are too great.The underlined word “manufacture” in the first paragraph means “_________”.
| A．produce | B．oppose | C．attempt | D．experiment |
Which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．In theory, scientists are unlikely to clone humans. |
| B．Richard Seed has fallen behind other scientists in cloning humans. |
| C．Cloning human beings is good for men. |
| D．People have different ideas about cloning humans. |
How do many medical experts and other groups like the idea of cloning humans？
| A．They are in favour of the idea. |
| B．They are against the idea. |
| C．They have an optimistic attitude to the idea. |
| D．They think it is none of their business. |
①Isaac Stern was more than a great violin player. He was one of the most honored musicians in the world. He was an international cultural ambassador. He was a major supporter of the arts in America and in other countries. He was a teacher and activist.
②Isaac Stern was born in 1920 in what is now Ukraine. His parents moved to San Francisco, California the following year. His mother began teaching Isaac the piano when he was six. He began taking violin lessons after hearing a friend play the instrument. Later, he began studying music at the San Francisco Conservatory (音乐学院).He progressed quickly. When he was 16, he played with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. The next year, he performed in New York City and was praised by music critics.
③During World War Ⅱ, Mr. Stern played for thousands of American soldiers. It was the first time many of them had heard classical music. After the war, he was the first American violinist to perform in a concert in the Soviet Union. He also supported young musicians and cultural organizations in Israel.
④In 1979, Isaac Stern visited China. He met with Chinese musicians and students. He taught them about classical Western music. His visit was made into a film, which is called From Mao to Mozart: Isaac Stern in China. It won an Academy Award for best documentary film.
⑤In 1984, Isaac Stern received the Kennedy Center Honors Award for his gifts to American culture through music. He expressed his thoughts about the part that music plays in life. He said he believed that music makes life better for everyone, especially children.
⑥Mr. Stern supported and guided younger classical musicians. They include violinists Itzhak Perlman and Pinchas Zukerman, cellist Yo -Yo Ma, and pianist Yefim Bronfman.
⑦Isaac Stern died in 2001 at the age of 81.He was a major influence on music in the 20th century. He leaves the world richer with his many recordings.Which of the following is the RIGHT time order for these events in Stern’s life?
a. He began learning music in an institution.
b. He received the Kennedy Center Honors Award.
c. He visited the Soviet Union.
d. He met with Chinese musicians.
e. He performed for American soldiers.
| A．a, e, c, d, b | B．a, e, b, c, d | C．e, a, b, c, d | D．e, a, c, d, b |
Paragraph 2 is mainly about _________ .
| A．how Stern began to learn music |
| B．how Stern began his musical career |
| C．Stern’s early education |
| D．Stern’s achievement in music |
The underlined word “cellist” in Paragraph 6 may refer to _________ .
| A．someone who supports young musicians |
| B．someone who wants to be a musician |
| C．someone who has a gift for music |
| D．someone who plays a certain kind of instrument |
Which of the following shows the RIGHT structure of the text?
| A．①→②③④⑤→⑥⑦ | B．①→②③④⑤⑥→⑦ |
| C．①②③④⑤⑥→⑦ | D．①②③→④⑤⑥⑦ |
If Confucius(孔子)were still alive today and could celebrate his September 28 birthday with a big cake, there would be a lot of candles. He’d need a fan or a strong wind to help him put them out.
While many people in China will remember Confucius on his special day ,few people in the United States will give him a passing thought. It’s nothing personal. Most Americans don’t even remember the birthdays of their own national heroes.
But this doesn’t mean that Americans don’t care about Confucius. In many ways he has become a bridge that foreigners must cross if they want to reach a deeper understanding of China.
In the past two decades, the Chinese studies programs have gained huge popularity in Western universities. More recently, the Chinese government has set up Confucius Institutes in more than 80 countries. These schools teach both Chinese language and culture. The main courses of Chinese culture usually include Chinese art, history and philosophy(哲学).Some social scientists suggest that Westerners should take advantage of the ancient Chinese wisdom to make up for the drawbacks of Western philosophy. Students in the United States, at the same time, are racing to learn Chinese. So they will be ready for life in a world where China is an equal power with the United States. Businessmen who hope to make money in China are reading books about Confucius to understand their Chinese customers.
So the old thinker’s ideas are still alive and well.
Today China attracts the West more than ever, and it will need more teachers to introduce Confucius and Chinese culture to the West.
As for the old thinker, he will not soon be forgotten by people in the West, even if his birthday is.The opening paragraph is mainly intended to .
| A．provide some key facts about Confucius |
| B．attract the readers’ interest in the subject |
| C．show great respect for the ancient thinker |
| D．prove the popularity of modern birthday celebrations |
We can learn from Paragraph 4 that American students .
| A．have a great interest in studying Chinese |
| B．take an active part in Chinese competitions |
| C．try to get high scores in Chinese exams |
| D．fight for a chance to learn Chinese |
What is the best title for the passage?
| A．Forgotten Wisdom in America |
| B．Huge Fans of the Chinese Language |
| C．Chinese Culture for Westerners |
| D．Old Thinker with a Big Future |
The passage is likely to appear in .
| A．a biography | B．a history paper |
| C．a newspaper | D．a philosophy textbook |
By the mid-nineteenth century, the “icebox” had entered the American language, but ice was still only beginning to affect the diet of ordinary citizens in the United States. The ice trade grew with the growth of cities. Ice was used in hotels, taverns, and hospitals, and by some forward-looking city dealers in fresh meat, fresh fish, and butter. After the Civil War (1861-1865), as ice was used to refrigerate freight cars, it also came into household use. Even before 1880, half the ice sold in New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore, and one-third of that sold in Boston and Chicago, went to families of their own use. This had become possible because a new household convenience, the icebox, a precursors of modern refrigerator, had been invented.
Making an efficient icebox was not as easy as we might now suppose. In the early nineteenth century, the knowledge of physics of heat, which was essential to a science of refrigeration, was rudimentary. The commonsense notion that the best icebox was one that prevented the ice from melting was of course mistaken, for it was melting of the ice that performed the cooling. Nevertheless, early efforts to economize ice included wrapping the ice in blankets, which kept the ice from doing its job. Not until near the end of the nineteenth century did inventors achieve the delicate balance of insulation and circulation needed for an efficient icebox.
But as early as 1803, an ingenious Maryland farmer, Thomas Moore, had been on the right track. He owned a farm about twenty miles outside the city of Washington, for which the village of Georgetown was the market center. When he used an icebox of his own design to transport his butter to market, he found that customers would pass up the rapidly melting stuff in the tubs of his competitors to pay a premium(奖金) price for his butter, still fresh and hard in neat, one-pound bricks. One advantage of his icebox, Moore explained, was that farmers would no longer have to travel to market at night in order to keep their produce cool.What does the passage mainly discuss?
| A．The influence of ice on the diet. |
| B．The development of refrigeration. |
| C．The transportation of goods to market. |
| D．Sources of ice in the nineteenth century. |
According to the passage, when did the word “icebox” become part of the language of the United States?
| A．in 1803 | B．sometime bore 1850 |
| C．during the civil war | D．near the end of the nineteenth century. |
The phrase “forward-looking” in line 3 is closest in meaning to______.
| A．progressive | B．popular | C．thrifty | D．well-established |
The author mentions “fish” in the passage because _____.
| A．many fish dealers also sold ice. |
| B．fish was shipped in refrigerated freight cars. |
| C．fish dealers were among the early commercial users of ice |
| D．fish was not part of the ordinary person’s diet before the invention of the icebox. |
Daniel Boone was born in the United States in 1734. He didn't go to school and couldn't read, although he learned all about the forests, streams and hunting. He could move silently like an Indian leaving no marks. He loved to live alone in the woods where nothing frightened him.
When he grew up, he married and tried to settle down on a farm. A year later, however, he wasn't satisfied and decided to go into the unknown western lands, crossing the Appalachian Mountains. When he returned after two years, he became famous for his long journey. He brought valuable animal skins and told stories about the Indians.
After this, he chose to keep travelling to unknown places. Once he lost to the Indians in battle and was taken away. The Indians liked him and became his friends.
Daniel Boone died at the age of 86. He is remembered as an explorer(探险者)and a pioneer who lived an exciting life in the early years of American nation.Daniel Boone's early life was mainly spent in ______ .
| A．learning about nature |
| B．hunting with his friends |
| C．learning useful skills from the Indians |
| D．studying at home because he couldn't go to school |
When he got married, Daniel Boone first planned to ______.
| A．set up a large farm |
| B．go on a journey with his wife |
| C．find food, new land for his farm |
| D．live a peaceful life with his family |
Daniel Boone became famous because ______ .
| A．he travelled a lot in the western lands |
| B．he was very good at telling stories |
| C．he found better animal skins than others |
| D．he was the first to climb the Appalachian Mountains |
Why did the Indians want to make friends with him?
| A．Because they wanted to learn from him. |
| B．Because he wanted to make peace with them. |
| C．Because they wanted to make friends with white people. |
| D．No reason is told in this article. |
In this article, Daniel Boone is best described as ______ .
| A．warm-hearted | B．strong |
| C．careful | D．brave |
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